Paul gave me a peek at his photos from this year’s Rétromobile show in France (more to come). It’s an absurdly great collection of amazing machines… but one in particular stopped me in my tracks.
This BMW 507-powered speedboat is the only one of it’s kind. Italian boatbuilder Abbate also built a more traditional one-off runabout powered by a 507 engine, but this example by Rambeck Boatworks borrows heavily from the design of the 507 and looks just as slippery and purposeful on the water as the car does on the road.
Digging around a bit I was able to find a video that touches on the restoration of the vessel after spending decades in dry dock. Quite a barn find indeed.
I love the commonality of aesthetic that the boat shares with it’s 4-wheeled brother. The shared steering wheel, instrument cluster, and 150hp engine are only part of that. There’s a spirit to them both that make the boat just as magnificent as the car who’s heart beats inside her.
